Catholic Relief Services Guest Speaker

Thomas Awiapo, global solidarity program coordinator for Catholic Relief Services, will present "How the Rice Bowl Project Reaches the Most Vulnerable in the World" beginning at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the ballroom of St. Francis Xavier College Church. His talk will discuss global poverty, his experience as an orphan in Ghana and advocacy efforts around global poverty.

Awiapo was orphaned at a young age and spent years fending for himself. He saw children pass his house with boiled sorghum and followed them to the source - the local school. Awiapo started school because of the food provided through the CRS Rice Bowl Project.

He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in philosophy and religion from the University of Ghana; a master's degree in education from the University of Cape Coast; and a master's degree in public administration from California State University. He is now the Global Solidarity Program Coordinator for CRS Ghana.